


Working it Out

by StBridget



Series: Guardian [6]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 19:16:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10556294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StBridget/pseuds/StBridget
Summary: Jack discovers staying away from work is harder than he thought.





	

**Author's Note:**

> MacGyver is property of CBS and its creators.
> 
> bswindle20 suggested while I was writing Future Perfect that it seemed like I had plans for Jack coming back to the Phoenix Foundation. I didn't, but it got me thinking, and this was the result. Hope you enjoy!

“Hey, Ri, hey, Boze.”  Jack stuck his head into the operations room where Riley was monitoring something on the screen, and Bozer was doing, well, whatever Bozer did—Jack was never quite sure.  Connor was balanced on the Guardian’s hip.  “Mac around?”

Riley lifted Connor out of Jack’s arms and cooed at him.  “Hey, there, little guy.  How you doing?”  She smiled as Connor burbled in response.  Then, she answered Jack’s question.  “Nah, Thornton sent him on a mission.”

Jack was concerned.  “He didn’t mention that to me.  Is he by himself?”

Riley’s attention was still focused on the baby.  “Relax, it’s just down at the port.  Phoenix intercepted intelligence this morning that an arms deal is going down.  Thornton sent Mac to get pictures.”

“Is she crazy?!?” Jack said, practically shouting.  “She can’t send him out without backup!”

Connor started fussing, upset by his father’s stormy emotions.  Jack took him from Riley and snuggled him close.  “It’s okay, little guy.  Daddy Jack didn’t mean to scare you.  He’s just worried about your other daddy.  He shouldn’t be out there all alone.”

Thornton came in in time to hear the last comment.  “First of all,” she said, “it’s not a dangerous mission.  Second, I didn’t send him out without backup.  Third, what are you doing here?  You’re supposed to be on leave.”

“I came in to add Connor to our insurance.  They needed his birth certificate, and Mac didn’t have it,” Jack said.  “But, that’s not the point.  The point is you can’t send Mac out with just anyone.  They have to be able to work with him.  He’s got a unique style, you know.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Thornton said.  “I sent him out with one of our best new recruits.  His marksmanship scores are superb.”

“It takes more than marksmanship to have Mac’s back!” Jack said, agitated.  “He doesn’t just need some meathead who shoots first and asks questions later.”  All three of the others stared at him in amazement.  “Don’t look at me like that!” he snapped.

“Nobody’s accusing you of being a meathead,” Thornton soothed.  “And neither is Zach.”

Jack was puzzled.  “Who’s Zach?”

“Zach Green, the recruit I sent with Mac,” Thornton said.  “He scored very highly in the simulations, working independently, with a civilian, and with a team.”

“You mean this is his first mission?!?”  Jack was horrified.  “What were you thinking?!?”

“That this would be an excellent chance for him to get his feet wet,” Thornton said, calmly.  “It’s just simple recon.”

“It’s never simple recon!” Jack yelled.

As if to emphasize his point, Riley’s voice sounded.  “You’ve got incoming hostiles.”

“How many and where?” Mac asked.

“Three.  Straight ahead.  They haven’t seen you yet.”

“I’ve got ‘em,” another voice said.  Jack figured it must be the new guy, what’s his name.  Oh, yeah, Zach.

“Don’t shoot!” Jack hollered, then realized they couldn’t hear him.  He snatched the earpiece from Riley.  “Give me that.”  He tried to put it on, but was hampered by the baby in his arms.  He shoved the infant at a bewildered Bozer.  “You’ll give your position away.  Only shoot if they start shooting first.”

“Who’s this?” The new guy—Zach.  Jack needed to remember that.  Oh, no, he didn’t—this guy wouldn’t be around long if Jack had any say in the matter.

“This is Mac’s _partner_ , the one who should be watching his back, which you obviously aren’t capable of.”

“What do you suggest?” Mac asked before Zach could respond.”

Jack looked at Riley.  “Where are they?”

Riley pointed at the screen.  “They’re here, behind some crates.”  Jack could just make out two forms in the fuzzy CCTV feed.  She pointed again.  “The bad guys are here.”

 “Where’s the nearest exit?”

Riley turned her laptop screen towards Jack, showing him the schematics of the warehouse Mac and Zach were in.  “Here.”

Jack studied the screen.  “Can they get there without breaking cover?”

Riley hit a button and several other camera feeds showed on the screen.  “I think so.”

Jack addressed Mac and Jack again.  “Okay, here’s what you’re going to do.  The exit’s to your left.  If you follow the line of crates and keep your heads down, you should be able to make it.”

“Right.”  Jack saw what looked like Zach cocking his gun and getting ready to stick his head up above the crate.  “You go, I’ll cover you.”

“No!” Jack said.  “You _both_ go.  There will be no shooting unless absolutely necessary.  Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir,” Zach said, chastised.

“Okay, you’re clear,” Jack said.  “Go!”

They made a moved in the direction indicated, crouched down behind the crates.  Riley tracked them on the cameras.  The figures stopped at the end of the crates.

“Okay,” Mac said.  “We can see the exit.  Now what?”

“Give me the outside feed,” Jack said to Riley.  She complied.  Jack looked at it.  “Okay, there’s a truck about 100 feet away.  You’ll have to run for it, Mac first, Zach covering him.”

“Now, can I shoot?” Zach asked.

“Only if they shoot first,” Jack emphasized.  “You shouldn’t need to.  They don’t seem to have noticed you yet.”  Just then, a shout broke out, and gunfire erupted.  “Scratch that.  Now you can shoot.”

The two figures broke cover and ran for the truck, Zach firing behind him at the enemy.  Jack was pleased to note he hit two of them.  Thornton was right—his marksmanship was good.  Not as good as Jack’s of course, but good.  They made the truck and ducked behind it.  Mac reached inside to fiddle with the wires, and it roared to life.  The two men climbed in.  Zach shoved it into gear, and they took off.

“Okay, we’re clear,” Mac said a moment later.

Jack sighed in relief.  He took Connor back from Riley.  “Hear that?  Daddy Mac is clear.”

Thornton was impressed.  “Nicely done.”  There was a pause.  “We need you, you know.”  She sounded like it pained her to admit it.

Now that Mac was safe, Jack’s attention was solely focused on his son.  He barely heard Thornton.

“Jack can’t come back,” Bozer answered for him.  “He’s retiring.  Isn’t that right, Jack?”

“Uh-huh,” Jack said, distracted by making faces at Connor.

Thornton started to address Bozer, since he was the last one who’d spoken, then turned to Jack.  “Jack, listen to me,” she said, exasperation in her tone.

Jack reluctantly tore his attention away from Connor.  “What?”

“I said you should come back.”

“No way,” Jack said, firmly.  “I’m retired.  Connor doesn’t need both of us at risk.”

“Not full time,” Thornton said, “and not in the field.”

“Then what?” Jack said.  “Being a field agent’s all I know.”

“I want you to be Mac’s handler,” Thornton said.  “Just his, just on a consulting basis as needed.  You know him and know what he needs, and you can keep Zach in line.”

Jack made a face.  “You’re keeping him as Mac’s partner?  Really?”

“You’ll whip him into shape,” Thornton said, confidently.  “What do you say?”

Bozer turned pleading eyes on Jack.  “Yeah, Jack, pretty please?”

“Yeah, Jack, please?”  Riley’s eyes weren’t quite as pathetic as Bozer’s, but they were close. 

Jack hesitated.  He grabbed the comm from Riley again.  “What do you say, Mac?  Want me to come back as your handler?”

Jack could almost hear his husband grin.  “That would be awesome.”

There was just one more person to ask.  “Connor, what about you?  Want to come hang out with Auntie Riley and Uncle Bozer while Daddy Mac’s away?”  Connor burbled and kicked his legs, which Jack took as agreement.  Jack turned to Thornton.  “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Riley whooped, Mac let out a “yes!” through the headset, Bozer bumped fists with Jack, and even Thornton couldn’t suppress a smile as she spoke.

“Welcome back, Jack.”


End file.
